ldeedsfandomcom-20200215-history
Setting
There are certain romances that belong in certain cities, in a certain atmosphere, in a certain time. Sammy Davis, Jr. The grand Scheherazade casino and resort has many exciting features for you, your family, and your future. The Scheherazade, where a thousand and one nights are just the beginning. *'We have over 4,200 hotel rooms, spanning four luxurious towers. Each one with a greater view than the last. ' *'Over five thousand game stations, featuring blackjack, slots, poker, keno, and everything else your heart desires. ' *'Live entertainment nightly in each tower. Comedy, stage shows, magic, there’s always something exciting at the Sheherazade. ' *'Meeting rooms, ballrooms, catering, and everything else you need for a legendary corporate retreat. ' *'An on-site shopping mall, with over forty stores, including chain and independent boutiques, groceries, and collectibles. ' *'Over twenty restaurants, many of which are open 24/7 for your convenience. ' *'An average guest population of over twenty thousand people. Each pulse with warm blood. Many pay for their rooms in cash. Many have no intention of ever going home. ' This is the story of a single, very large location that happens to house a number of vampires. The point is, the chronicle begins and ends within the confines of the casino. While technically, characters may leave, that only happens in downtime. It’s off-the-clock. When important things happen, they happen inside. While many different stories will happen inside those walls, A Requiem for Fortune will lend itself heavily to socio-political play. I’ll be bending, creating, and abolishing rules to fit format. The setting itself will be a fictional casino on Navajo reservation territory near the California, Nevada, and Arizona border. 'Things that might appeal: ' #'While the casino has leadership, it’s small, and involved. I’m favoring fewer, more active NPCs than many esoteric ones. Characters will be able to interact, and have influence. ' #'The casino isn’t everything it seems. There will be some degree of exploration and mystery to the place. More than what you think. The occult element will be limited, but strongly defined. On one side, there will be some native american animism. On the other, there will be gothic horror. ' #'Aside from metaplot arcs, I strive to make stories personal. I adapt and improvise. I’ll try to work with players to make smaller, more intimate stories happen. I want players to feel invested in the setting. I’ll work with them to make that happen. ' #'The game will be structured. Because of the scope and limitations of the setting, you’ll know what you’re getting when you’re coming in. You’ll know what types of stories we’re telling, so you can work yourself into those. ' #'While the setting is structured, I respect player agency. I won’t be filling in a number of the setting blanks. I want to let the players take those gaps and run with them. That way you’re not playing my vampire chronicle, you’re playing yours. ' ='The Unions'= The unions don’t necessarily take the place of the Covenants in our setting, but they relegate the covenants to a more cliquish role. Covenants will be downplayed a bit, while still affording mechanical advantages. The Unions determine what tower you’re allowed living in, and afford some minor advantages based on your Casino Status. All four Unions are represented on the Board of Directors at any given time, along with a fifth Chairperson of the Board, who is generally part of the High Rollers. A citizen may only be recognized as a member of one Union at a time. Upon leaving, all advantages are lost. Functionally, the Kindred of the various Unions maintain certain abstract claims to groups of relevant mortals. For instance, the Labor Union literally has its paws in the labor unions and the engineering centers of the casino. The Awakened Lobby has no such direct claim. But there are certain supernatural elements they’re seen as the masters of. Technically, they would also be the first in line for diplomatic relations with non-Kindred supernaturals. There’s not a lot of established detail here. This is important. We want you to fill those niches, and make the truths of the setting. We’re just providing a framework. ' 'The High Rollers’ Club This group is the elite of the elite. They’re the casino citizens with the most clout, the most ambition, and the most success. At least, that’s what they like to advertise. They’re exclusive and smaller than the other unions. Membership requires a sponsor, then a blackballing process. A single blackball from any full member, and a prospective member has to wait six months and another sponsor before trying to join again. On the mortal end, they have influence over the patrons and shareholders, and often take herds from the affluent guests the casino draws in. If a mortal politician comes to the casino, the High Rollers are liable to pursue. High Rollers can take a haven in the Sultan’s Tower. ' 'High Roller Advantages • - A free dot of Resources, on top of the amount you’ve purchased. ••• - Gain the advantages of an Exceptional Success on any roll you can apply your Casino Status to, if you roll three or more successes instead of five. ••••• - ????? 'The Labor Union' The Labor Union maintains that they keep the casino running. They have a hand in all the groups that work with the dirty, day to day operations. From janitorial to administration to engineering, the Labor Union greases all the essential wheels. The Labor Union has access to the Guard Tower. 'Labor Union Advantages' • - A free dot of Contacts, on top of the amount you’ve purchased. ••• - Choose a Skill based on your trade. Gain the 9-again quality on that Skill. ••••• - ????? 'The Entertainment Union' The Entertainment Union covers --what else-- the entertainment. All the various contractors that come in to make the casinogoers’ lives more interesting fall under the auspices of the entertainment union. Some of the members are entertainers themselves. Many simply organize and control those mortals. Entertainment Union members have access to the 1001 Nights Tower. ' 'Entertainment Union Advantages • - A free dot of Herd, on top of the amount you’ve purchased. ••• - Choose a Skill based on your trade. Gain the 9-again quality on that Skill. ••••• - ????? 'The Awakened Lobby' Since the cathedral of flesh called the Scheherazade is largely secular, the mystical elements of Kindred society tend to band together for representation. Where in many cities, the Lancea Sanctum and the Circle of the Crone are at odds, in the Scheherazade, they have to work together. Some members of the Ordo Dracul find appeal in the Awakened Lobby. Some of other covenants do as well. Their binding feature is that they don’t believe in a monist world. The Awakened Lobby keep the Genie’s Tower as their home. 'Awakened Lobby Advantages' • - A free dot of Library, on top of the amount you’ve purchased. ••• - Allows for use of the teamwork rules when using any ritual power. Only the caster needs have this level of Casino Status to take advantage. Other casters must have at least a dot of the representative magical Discipline, or if the power is a Devotion, all must have the Devotion. ••••• - ????? ='Clans'= We’re downplaying these. Families might be important, but I don’t expect to see any clans that are basically proto-covenants. ' ='Inspirational Material= 'Fallout: New Vegas (Video Game, 2010): This game gives the feel of a desperate, dark Vegas. While we’re not playing in a post-apocalyptic game, the casino leadership are basically Vampire characters. ' Million Dollar Baby (Film, 2004): This is a heavy story that fits theme. Casinos bring in nonstandard talent, and exalt those stories. Ocean’s Eleven (Film, 1960, and 2001): Both get the feel right. They grab onto the glamorous illusion of casinos. Rounders (Film, 1998): Compelling characters caught up in the gambling lifestyle.